Thursday, August 21, 2014

Hugh - 1 month!


Don't blink, am I right?

This post is already late but we had company all last week so I just never got it completely finished. Full disclosure since I had most of the post written last week I don't feel all that guilty about pre-dating it ;)

I might have mentioned (six dozen times) over the past four years that I love having a baby in the house. I know that for some parents the newborn days are a little intimidating and dare I say, not all that much 'fun'. And they would be justified! I can't help myself...in spite of the sleep deprivation...I just love these early days. I can't believe that Hugh is already a month old and would do anything to freeze time right now.

We are all settling in and trying to find our groove as a family of five. Establishing any sort of routine has been pretty much impossible on account of the fact that we have had company for the last three weeks. First my sister came, next amazing family friends and my high school bestie were in town, and this past week another of my best friends and her husband were here. I am so ridiculously blessed to have spent this time with four of my favorite women on the planet (not to mention their families). This hormonal hot mess could cry just thinking about it, who are we kidding I'm balling like a baby. I know I told each of you in person how grateful I was for the help, the love, and the laughs, but it never hurts to say it again. Thank you and I love you with my whole heart.


Speaking of my bursting heart. This baby. Oh.my.god. this baby. It is all I can do to keep from squeezing him twenty two hours a day. Some days I feel like I hold him that many hours a day...but you can't spoil a newborn right?! Today was a particularly hard day for a lot of reasons, but so far Hugh really has been an easy baby. Don't worry I knocked on wood as I typed that, but also, I have been jinxing myself all over IG so I figure why stop now!


The biggest question we get, "Who does he look like?" The answer is, we can't decide. Maybe Lily? There is definitely some Ben there too. Trust me when I say that I have studied every detail of his tiny face and I really didn't think he looked like either of my other two babes, that is until I started looking back at their baby pictures. I don't think that either of my other kids look like Matt or myself...but they do look like each other for sure! I have a comparison post in the works, but it is so hard because every time I start looking at those old pictures I just can't stop and it is too hard to choose just a few to compare.

Without further rambling let's get on to the update shall we?!

Likes: Nursing, napping on someone's chest, being swaddled, baths, getting up for the day at 4:30am, paci, being held, clutching a burp cloth to his chest as though his life depended on it, getting head pats and kisses from Lily and Ben, the front pack, squirming, the Mamaroo, riding in the car.

Dislikes: Being put down, sleeping between the hours 4:30am and 9:30am, the booger sucker. (Short list! haha)

Nicknames: Hoo, Hughtiepie, Hoopie, Blueberry Hughtiepie (most if not all of these are Ben's)

Milestones: Haha, he is one month old! He eats, he sleeps, he poops. Everything is a "first"!


Feeding:  Hugh is a fantastic nurser. Only very rarely does it take him more than a second to latch. I am used to babies that only nurse for a few minutes on each side and Hugh is no exception. That being said I would estimate that he gets at least two ounces from each feeding when he gets down to business. He has been a trooper about nursing in public which, given that this is my third, has literally been all over the state of Maine. We have been on the go go go and as a result Hugh has had no choice but to lay under his whale blankie and get it done no matter where we are (a park bench at a fair, on a boat, the dinner table at a restaurant, in the car, at the beach). We have been busy!


At 3w5d he took his first bottle. In the spirit of being super Mainers it was around a campfire. Since then he has taken a few bottles from Daddy while out and about. In the last few days we have decided to do a bottle before bed so that I can get a little extra sleep and we can ensure that he goes to bed with a full belly.

Sleeping: Hugh is a good sleeper. He is only a month old and I know that SO MANY THINGS can change BUT so far I am digging his sleeping routine. We go to bed around 10:30 and Hugh sleeps until as late as 3:30...that is a FIVE hour stretch. Ben didn't sleep for five hours until...well...does last night count?? (I'm kidding he does finally sleep through the night, most of the time). The problem is that Hugh goes right back to bed after nursing on both sides at 3:30 for an hour. ONE HOUR, then he is up. As in UP for the day. No matter what I try I cannot get him to settle in and sleep after 5am. He isn't interested in nursing. He just wants to be held and to look longing into my eyes...which I am desperate to close. I entertain him until 7:30 when Matt gets up at which time I practically throw the baby to him as he leaves the room to get up with the big kids. My husband is a saint. I am not an early riser and am so grateful that he will get up with all three kids so that I can get some extra sleep.

During the day sleep is random but that is probably the product of being so busy. Hugh loves to be carried in the pack and will promptly fall asleep after just a few minutes. Same goes for the car seat. Sometimes it is brutal getting out the door and we all have to endure a few minutes of irate screaming but he settles down and is out cold within a few minutes. Lily is super helpful in the car and can replace a lost paci in the blink of an eye!



Odds and Ends:  We are so lucky to have so much family living close by. The help and the support have been a life saver. The highest of fives goes out to any mama managing her kiddos without a whole army of helpers. I have been there ladies and I know how difficult it can be, you are amazing! I will fully admit that I don't think I would be enjoying these newborn days very much at all without Matt's dedication to me and the kids and the flexibility his job affords us. I don't know what I did to be so blessed. It is all I can do to give my kids a fraction of the love I receive from them every single day.

You are so loved little boy. Please don't grow up too fast! 





Up next: The final days of summer, a long awaited wedding, and the start of a new routine

Monday, August 4, 2014

DITL - Summer 2014

I really wasn't sure that I had this post in me. And as I sit here at the end of what seemed like a very long day I am feeling a little overwhelmed at the idea of getting it all written by tomorrow mid day so that I can link up. But I suppose if you are reading this then I was able to get her done. :)

I will be so happy that I have this to read later on, you know, when I don't have a 13 day old baby.

DITL - Summer 2014
Sunday August 3rd

I am 33
Matt - 31
Lily - 4 years 4 months
Ben - 2 years 3 months
Hugh - 13 days

2:35am - First wake up of the day. We went to bed a little after 11 so this was a pretty decent stretch. I get up and unwrap Hugh from his swaddle. I change his diaper to wake him up which of course makes him super angry. Matt shifts around in the bed and I feel a little bad that I am letting Hugh scream but at the same time I NEED this kid to be awake when he starts nursing otherwise he will be asleep before he even latches.

Hugh nurses on the left side for about 20 minutes. He has a good latch and I am relieved to finally be coming to the end of the "OMG nursing crazy painful" stage. Hugh doesn't always get right down to business and a few nights ago Matt woke up to me crying and pleading with my baby "to please just latch". This is a dramatic improvement!

3:01am - I swaddle Hugh and put him back in the pack and play. I hold my breath for a minute never knowing whether or not Hugh's little eyes will fly back open the minute I try to step away from the crib. It looks like he is out so I sneak back to bed and before I have time to even think about it I am also sound asleep.

4:26am - SCREAMING. Ugh that was not a great stretch. I am really tired and it takes me a few minutes to full wake up. I go through our little unwrapping and diapering routine and settle in to bed to nurse. This time Hugh is feeling finicky and takes a very long time to latch. Clearly he is not really that interested in nursing or sleeping. At this point I am leaking milk all over the place and can't find the burp cloth anywhere. I get up to get a new cloth and decide to sit in the glider and rock Hugh.

4:55am - Not sleeping or nursing. I am struggling to keep my eyes open so I try to swaddle Hugh and put him back to bed. This does not go over well, at all.

5:01am - Back to bed with the baby in my arms. Try for a few more minutes to get him to latch but he is just not interested. He is fussy and squirmy which leads me to think he has a tummy ache. I lay him flat on my chest to try and force a burp and almost immediately he fills his diaper. Whew! That must be better. I get up and change his diaper and he seems much more content.

5:15am - Finally a good latch! Hugh nurses for about 15 minutes before falling back to sleep. As soon as I set him down in the pack and play he starts to squirm and fuss. I go out to the living room and grab the travel swing. We haven't been using the swing very much but I am willing to try anything at this point. I get him all strapped in but after just a few minutes of swinging he is escalating to full blown screaming again.

The swing is next to the glider so I just sit down with him again and resume rocking.

6:00am - After almost 30 minutes of rocking Hugh is still not asleep and I am getting a headache from the motion. I set Hugh down in the pack and play (again) and he starts to cry (again). Back to the bed we go.

6:30am. - I am sitting up in bed, Hugh is asleep in my arms but I just can't muster the energy to get up and put him back in the pack. I slouch in the bed a little and set up a pillow buffer between Matt and the baby. I know it is not recommended to put your newborn in bed with you, but seriously sometimes it is the only way to get any rest. At this point I have been up since 4:30.


6:45am - The pitter patter of "big kid" feet wakes me from my light snoozing. I am a little confused when I look at the clock because their tot clock won't be green for another 45 minutes. Turns out it is Ben upstairs in the playroom. Lily is soon to follow. I get out of bed and encourage them to get a few toys and go back to Ben's room. I go back to bed, again.

7:30am - Lily and Ben stampede down the stairs chanting, "Daddy our clock is green!" They burst through the door to our bedroom and both clamber to get up on the bed to say good morning to Daddy, Hugh, and me. There is a few minutes of snuggling and Lily asks if she can play on my phone. I oblige her mostly because I am so overtired but also because she remembers her manners and asks me very politely.

7:45am - Matt can sense that the kids are getting restless and I really need to go back to sleep for a bit. He attempts to take the baby and Lily out to the kitchen to make breakfast but Ben insists on staying for a few more minutes of back rubbing and snuggling with Hugh.

Less than one minute later Ben decides he has had enough and runs out to the kitchen. Matt comes in to take the baby and before he even closes the bedroom door I am back to sleep.

9:24am - Ahhh, sleep. Why are you SO wonderful. I feel instantly guilty that Matt has had all three kids for the past hour and a half. The house is eerily quiet. I get up and pee and then poke my head out the bedroom door to check for signs of life. Nothing. Silence. I go back to bed to check my phone and text Matt when I hear the garage door. Matt had taken all three kids to Dunkin Donuts...what an amazing guy! He officially wins the medal for "first solo outing with all three kids!"

9:30am - Matt brings Hugh into the bedroom to nurse and returns a few minutes later with coffee and donuts. This man is a keeper. For.real.

I drink a bit of my coffee and have a few bites of donut as I nurse Hugh. (Yes we always break up our donuts like that and share them family style...even when we have company)

When Hugh is finished nursing and is out cold on the bed, I decide I need to pump in order to carry on with the next part of my day. While I pump I notice that the pump keeps losing suction, which is crazy annoying. I start to google the problem on my phone and quickly discover that there is a chance my pump was recalled over a year ago. I follow the instructions on the Medela website to determine if I am eligible for a replacement. Ten minutes in...I am not. Bummer.

 10:00am - Without really noticing I pump almost five ounces. A little more than I was planning on but given that Hugh was also up for the better part of the night I have a feeling his current nap will be a long one. Plenty of time to replenish the supply.


I can hear the big kids and Daddy playing nintendo in the living room and decide to continue to soak in the quiet time for a few more minutes. I text with my girl friends and my sister. Kate texts to say that she is on her way (she spent a couple of days with friends in NH after arriving from DC on Friday night). Best of all she offers to pick up lunch!


I venture out to the living room to relay to Matt that my sister will be here in a couple of hours with lunch and discuss his plans for the day. He and the kids are getting ready to head outside. No one is interested in waiting a few minutes for me to brush my teeth and get dressed so for the second time already today I have the house to myself (being with a sleeping newborn is like being alone right?!).

10:30am - I gather all of the dirty laundry and start a load in the washer. A dog hair dust bunny rolls by as I walk through the house and I just can't leave it be. I grab the broom and do a quick pass around the downstairs. I move the baby to the bouncy seat, make our bed, and change all of the bedding in Hugh's pack and play. Since I am on a roll now I head upstairs, pick up the stray toys, make the kids' beds, clean the upstairs bathroom, and make sure that my sister's bed has clean sheets.

10:50am - I make myself slightly more presentable, emphasis on slightly. I am neither thrilled nor disappointed by my 2 week postpartum body. I honestly think that I have dropped a lot of the weight more quickly this time around than ever before...but because so much of my weight this time around was in my belly, I still have a belly. Honestly, I am confident that once I get back to running the belly will melt away (leaving god only knows what saggy sad skin behind!). Until then I am rocking it, no shame. I made a freaking baby. My body is amazing.


11:00am - I check on Hugh who is stirring a little so I pick him up and rock him for a minute or so before putting him back to bed in the pack and play, I decide to skip the swaddle...too risky!  


I head outside to find the kids reading a book on the hammock. Ben is super excited to show me the new lilies that have opened up in the front garden. As we walk around the yard and admire the flowers I can't help but pick the blueberries that grow all around the perimeter of the yard. What an amazing place to live. We are so blessed to have all of this space, the berries are just icing on the cake! 


 

12:00pm - Lunch! The kids have their usual trays filled with five foods...just like every day. Today they are "treated" to graham crackers with peanut butter instead of bread, because we are out of bread, oops.






















12:45 - The kids are such slow eaters, especially Lily. Just as I am about to lose my patience Aunt Kate arrives! Fifteen minutes of total chaos ensues as the kids, the cat, and the dog all lose their minds to greet Kate and her friend. Hugh sleeps through it all.



1:00pm - Hugh continues to nap in the bouncy seat despite all of the excitement. Ben is completely ready for his nap so he and I sneak upstairs while Kate puts out the lunch that she brought for the grownups. 


While the adults eat lunch Lily asks if she can play a little nintendo (Mario Cart) and Matt gets her set up on the couch. She is surprisingly good...if only she wouldn't stop in the middle of a race to fix her hair.


After we finish up lunch I take Hugh in the bedroom to nurse and Lily cons Kate and her friend into playing nintendo. Hugh is super fussy and takes a really long time to latch. Matt comes in to check on us and to let me know that he is going outside to work in the yard. Shortly after Kate comes in and says that she and her friend are going to head over to my mom and dad's for a short visit and offers to take Lily with them . THIRD time today I am in a quiet house 'alone'. I have Matt snap a pic before he heads outside. 



2:00pm - Hugh makes absolutely sure that I do not enjoy the peace and quiet for long. Even after nursing on both sides he is still rooting around and grunting in my arms. I just can't let him nurse any longer so I attempt to put him in the swing with the pacifier. For about 20 minutes he alternates between sleeping and screaming. I have a love/hate relationship with the paci at this early age. I love the I can use it to soothe Hugh as long as I am willing to hold it in his mouth. I can't stand the paci when Hugh desperately wants it but can't keep it in his own mouth for more than a few seconds. 

   

2:40pm - Matt is still outside, the girls are still at my parents, and the boys are both sleeping. It is too late in the afternoon for me to get much of a nap so I decide to switch over the laundry, fold and put away the clothes from the dryer, clean our bathroom, and spend a few minutes deleting pictures and making notes for this post. 

3:00pm - Like clockwork Ben gets up from his nap. He is super cranky until he realizes he has me all to himself. I change his diaper and we spend a few minutes playing trains on the floor in his room. I feel a little guilty because I realize I really haven't spent very much time today with the big kids. I ask him what he would like to do and he suggests "ride bikes". Sure buddy, let's go out. 

I check to make sure that Hugh is still sleeping contently in the swing while Ben puts his own sneakers on. He manages to get them on the right feet which only happens about 20% of the time. 


3:30 - We play outside in the driveway for about a half hour. I totally overdo it pushing Ben around on the trike. I get super crampy and just know I need to go in and sit down for a few minutes, maybe even take a few Advil. Poor Ben seems really disappointed that I can't keep pushing him. This is one of those times when recovery really sucks. 

I go inside and check Hugh. Just as I sit down in the glider next to him he starts to stir. The kid has impeccable timing. I pick him up, change his diaper, and sit back down on the bed to nurse. He only nurses for about 14 minutes on one side before falling back to sleep. 

I remember that I really need breast milk storage bags and get out my computer to see if Target is still offering 10 dollars off your order when you pick up your items same day...after updating itunes AND adobe I finally get to the Target website to find out that the answer is no. Perfect. 

4:10pm - Kate is home with Lily, and the girls and Ben all head upstairs for a dance party. Everyone dons a tutu but I somehow fail to take a picture, ugh! 

4:30pm - Matt comes in from outside asking if anyone wants to go with him to the hardware store. The kids are having entirely too much fun dancing and he doesn't get any takers. I decide that I will go with him and that we can pick up dinner while we are out. I change Hugh's diaper for what seems like the 50th time today and load him into the car seat. I ask Kate to make the kids' dinner which she happily agrees to do in exchange for the promise of take out. 

4:30-5:30pm - Matt, Hugh, and I hit up Ace hardware, Rite Aid, and the Chinese take out place. Hugh sleeps the entire time we are out. Errands with a newborn...you never know what you are going to get. This particular outing was a total success. I am thrilled when the drugstore has the milk storage bags I need and now I don't have to go to Target after the kids go to bed. Wine is also purchased :) 


5:30 - Matt's parents call just as we are getting home to ask if they can stop by with their cousins who are visiting Maine from Kentucky. We have been trying to find a time to meet up with them all weekend so Matt invites them over for a quick visit. Just as Matt and Kate are unpacking the food Hugh decides he HAS TO NURSE THIS SECOND so I sit down in the living room while they start eating. About two minutes after Hugh and I get settled in our guests arrive. Hugh and I quickly excuse ourselves to the bedroom to avoid any awkward "oh hey your boob is out of your shirt" moments. 

5:50 - Hugh is finally finished and I return to the living room to properly meet the Kentucky cousins. We all make small talk and Matt leads everyone around on a house tour. The kids are very proud to show our guests their bedrooms, which of course makes my heart happy because I put so much work into their rooms in the past few months. 

6:15pm - Both Lily and Ben beg for a small bowl of lo mein noodles and again I oblige because they each ask so politely. 





6:30pm - Matt's family says goodbye and we all start the kids bedtime routine. Lily has already had her poop which she normally does every night around this time. While she does her business whoever goes with her is expected to play 'i-spy' or 'would you rather'. Tonight that privilege went to Mimi. Ben has a total and complete meltdown that I cannot carry him up the stairs. He tantrums on the floor for several minutes before latching on to my leg at the bottom of the stairs. The kids finally settle on Kate carrying Lily, Daddy carrying Ben, and Mommy carrying Hugh. 



7:00pm - Lily and Ben are changed into jammies, Ben has a new diaper, and both kids brush their teeth with Matt's supervision. Normally we have them help us clean up the the toys for a few minutes but I am too hungry and tired to go there tonight. 

Matt reads Lily's choice book (the kids take turns each night choosing the story) and Lily cuddles up next to him on the floor. For some reason Matt has decided to wage war against Ben and his pacifier for the past few days. The new rule states that Ben can only have his beloved paci when he is physically in his bed. As a result Ben chooses paci over snuggles and listens to the story from the top bunk. I believe this is called, parenting fail. Hugh is out cold on the changing table.



7:16pm - Kids are 'down'...but will probably get out of bed a least a few times. The punishment will be loss of a stuffy for each infraction. Smart money is on Ben getting out of bed at least once. 

7:20pm - I FINALLY sit down to eat some dinner and have a beer. My first beer since giving birth...it is everything I dreamed it would be. About half way through my meal Hugh wants to nurse but Kate picks him up and walks around the house to give me time to eat. Ben gets out of bed and Matt takes away his new airplane stuffed animal. 


7:45pm - I nurse Hugh and we all settle in to watch a little TV and hang out. We all talk, and laugh, and tell stories for the rest of the evening. Matt cleans up dinner and he and Kate enjoy a few more beers. 

10:00pm - After hanging out for a couple of hours I decide that Hugh and I had better get ready for bed. I brush my teeth while Matt changes the baby's diaper. I remember that his swaddle and whale blankie are in the dryer so I go get them. I toy with the idea of folding the rest of the clothes for about 3 seconds. 

It takes about 45 more minutes to settle in completely, nurse Hugh one last time and get him swaddled and in to the pack and play. 

I take one last picture and close my eyes just before 11pm 


Saturday, August 2, 2014

The Birth Story - Hugh James!

Hugh James
8lbs 4oz 19.5in
Born at 8:52am 7/21/14

Short version: Hugh James was born on Monday July 21st at 8:52am via scheduled c-section at 39 weeks. Tipping the scales at 8lbs 4oz he surely would have been my biggest baby (Ben was 8lbs 6 oz) if we had allowed him to cook for another full week. Our hospital stay was short and sweet and on Wednesday July 23rd we were discharged ready to become a family of five at home!

Long version: Again this time around I had a ton of contractions and false labor in the two weeks leading up to my scheduled c-section. Unlike last time I had built up almost no expectations that I would actually go into labor on my own. Turns out keeping my expectations in check this time around did actually help me to maintain my sanity in the final days of what seriously seemed like the longest pregnancy in the history of ever. It should be noted that this was actually my shortest pregnancy by over a week! 

On Sunday morning we all got up and out of the house bright and early to go to a popular donut place in town. We picked up our sweets and headed to Fort Williams (where Portland Headlight is located) for a picnic breakfast. The kids were super cute and really seemed to enjoy our special morning out. We did a ton of walking and despite having several painful contractions I just couldn't seem to get them going consistently. After our morning in the park we brought the kids home for lunch and naps. Matt and I spent the afternoon doing some last minute cleaning and nesting (which he admittedly protested) that included cleaning out the garage. In the end I think we were both really happy that the house was looking so good and that everything on my todo list was done! Sunday night we took the kids out to dinner at a take out seafood restaurant and then had ice cream. Like I said, I am pretty sure they had a good day.
























On Monday morning I woke up around 4 like a kid on Christmas. There was no way I was going to be able to go back to sleep (the alarm was set for 4:50 anyway!). I went upstairs and snuggled the kids in their beds for a few minutes before coming back downstairs to shower and finish packing my hospital bag. I will admit that I was feeling a little vain this time around and wanted to make sure that I did my hair (and yes put on a tiny bit of makeup) before leaving for the hospital. I was still in the bathroom getting ready when Matt's alarm went off and shortly thereafter his parents arrived. We gave them our final set of instructions, lots of hugs, and we were out the door only 5 minutes later than I wanted. (Tiny detail not to be forgotten: Matt sprayed coffee from his travel mug all over me in the car on the way to the hospital, haha) 

When we arrived at the hospital, we parked in the wrong parking garage, tried to take the wrong elevator, spent five minutes looking it up on our phones, moved the car, found the right elevator, stopped to take some pictures, and finally arrived at admitting. We were immediately taken to our prep/recovery room where I changed into my gown and was hooked up to the IV. The entire admitting process took about 30 minutes.  At that point it was 7:30 and my surgery wasn't until 9. Hurry up and wait is one of my least favorite activities. 


There was a shift change shortly after we were all settled and the nurse who was assigned to my surgery was terrible. The first thing she said to us was "I don't get up here to L&D very often anymore so I'm not really even sure of some of the protocols." Great. This statement turned out to be a huge understatement and had I been a first time mom I would have been scared to death that she was going to kill me or my baby in the OR...ok maybe that is a little dramatic...but just maybe. I lost count of the number of times she was corrected or reprimanded by one of the other nurses along with the number of times she said to me "you don't even need me here, you are the pro." In the end she was right, I didn't need her. My mothering instincts are strong and when Hugh was born I knew just what to do. 

As for the surgery itself everything went smoothly. The epidural was placed (my easiest one so far) and the anesthesiologists were excellent at listening to my concerns and correcting the medication as needed. My new OB sounded so pleased as he progressed through the surgery that I was in such great shape and that I had very little scar tissue from my previous surgeries. I of course asked the ultimate in hypothetical questions to which everyone laughed and my OB gave us a preliminary green light if we choose to try for one more baby. Unlike my previous surgeries this one was 'violent'. I kept giving Matt nervous glances as I felt the operation table bounce and sway as they prepared to deliver my boy. Not long after the surgery began the OB announced that the baby would be here any second and Matt got out the camera. At 8:52am Hugh James came SCREAMING into this world, the exact same time as his sister...crazy. 




Our terrible nurse took the baby over to the incubator to be cleaned up and weighed. I liked the set up of this OR because unlike my previous deliveries I could see the baby the whole time. Matt cut the cord and after she spent WAY TOO MUCH TIME just cooing over my son he finally told the nurse that I would like to hold the baby. From that minute on I didn't hand him off to another person for the next several hours. Matt and I each whispered our first words to our perfect little boy. I said, "You are here my sweet boy. I am your mommy and I will love you forever." I cried, a lot. It is funny how despite having been through the experience twice already, until he was in my arms I couldn't for the life of me picture Hugh actually being born. 



Recovery was what I expected. My blood pressure and body temperature were very low and I spent a long time laying almost flat on my back with Hugh on my chest trying to keep from fainting. I initiated skin on skin and breastfeeding (lord knows the nurse wasn't going to suggest it) which was a little tricky given my position. After several hours, a few crackers, and lots of snuggling I was finally cleared to leave recovery and moved to my room. (and assigned a new nurse!) 


Matt called his parents and let them know that I was ready for them to bring the kids around 12:30. I was feeling really good at the point. I will say that the pain management was by far the best this time around and only for a very short period of time on the second day in the hospital did the pain get out ahead of me a little. When the kids arrived Matt brought them in to meet their little brother and I could not have scripted a better meet cute. Lily was completely thrown by just how small Hugh was and she did not like the fact that he was 'naked'. She obviously had some expectations of her own that were clearly not met, haha. Ben on the other hand was a smitten kitten. He kissed the baby and rubbed his head. He kept asking to sit on the bed and 'snuggle'. He just looked so pleased and kept saying "awww, our baby!".  Hugh gave the kids the gifts he had bought (like the thoughtful little brother he is) and the rest of the visit was spent playing with their new toys. Matt's mom and dad were able to share a few quiet moments and snuggles with Hugh before taking the kids home for Ben's nap. 





Later in the day my mom and dad came in to meet their newest grandson and the following morning Matt's sister came. I missed not having my own sister here for Hugh's arrival and we are all very much looking forward to her visit in a few days! My brother will hopefully be able to make the trip up to Maine toward the end of the summer.




With the exception of needing a second catheter in the middle of the night on the first night this was by far my favorite delivery. Hugh was snugly and slept a lot. He was in great health and his circumcision was uneventful. At no point were we scared or worried about anything. Although, I was told later that Hugh had a "true knot" in his umbilical cord but that because it was working so efficiently it clearly hadn't affected his growth. Thank the lord for miracles big and small. 






So here we are, a family of five! Our house is so full of love sometimes I can hardly breathe. Welcome baby Hugh, we are so happy you are here!